Tie-plate and brace.



J. B. R. COUNTS. TIE PLATE AND BEACH.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.19, 1910.

r I A w 7/ X a 4M x INVENTOR MQH/v 5 f)? 600N715;

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

norm 1;. R. COUNTS, or WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND.

TIE-PLATE AND BBACE.

To all whom it may coneer n:

lie it known that I, John B. R. Coun'rs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vestminster, in the county of Car roll and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Iin rovements in Tiedlates and Braces, of whlch the following is a specification.

This inven "on is an improvement in railroad tracks and particularly in the tie plates and braces for the railroad rails, and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing. Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a railroad track, tl1e tie and parts thereon, except the rails, being in elevation. Fig. 2 is a to planview of a tie provided with my improvements, the rails being partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on about line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view,

' partly broken away, of the tie plate shown Cir in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the rail brace shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3., Fig. 6 1s a longitudinal section showing a somewhat different construction within the broad principles of the invention. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the tie plate shown in Fig-6. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the rail brace shown in Fig. (5, all of which will be described. v

By myinvention, I seek to provide means for preventing the railroad rails from spreading and to so construct such means that the heavier the weight or the greater the force exerted on the rails, the more closely will the braces fit between the said rails and their supports or props, thus pre venting the braces from slipping.

The invention also renders practicable. the use of much softer wood for ties than is now practicable, as well as smaller ties and the life of the ties will be much increased as' the spikes will rarelyif'ever have to be removed. The railroad track equipped with the improvements will also be economical to keep in repair.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the tie plate A has suitable holesA' by which it may be spiked to the tie and is also provided with Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Mar, 28, 1911 Application filed August 19, 191i). Serial No. 577,917.

a bolt hole at A for the passage of bolts B for securing the rail braces inposition.

At their outer ends the tie plates are provided with inwardly facing shoulders A which form bearings against which the rail braces abut at their outer ends so that the tie plates operate to securely brace and sup port the brace. in position and to, prevent .any outward movement thereof such as might result in the spreading of the rails. The middle portion A of the tie plate A is reduced in width and inwardly facing shoulders A are formed at the juncture of the intermediate portion and the. wider end portions of the tie plate as best shown in Fig. 4.

The rail braces C are of a special construction and are alike except that the braces designed to fit against the rails at the joint as shown at the right'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 have the inner edges of their wings C adapted to conform to the hollow of the rail and: 6*tlle fish plates D while the braces C at the left in Figs. .1. 2 and 3 have their wings C- conformed at their inner edges to the hollow of the rails.

vAs shown. the rail brace C, see Fig. 5. has a base plate C" prodded with spike and bolt holes and on this base plate are provided the wings C, which wings unite at their base with the base plate near the side edges thereof and incline inwardly toward their upper edges and also slope upwardly on their upper edges so that the inner upper edges of the wings C converge and preferably meet or abut so that each wing C or the brace helps support the other wing as will be understood from Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the drawing. The base plate C of the brace has a. depressed or downwardly oti'setportion C which underlies the rails E and vided at the inner e lge of the downwardly ofi'setportion C, as shown in Fig. 5. The downwardly depressed ,portion C has a central opening C which receives the relatively narrow or reduced portion A of the tie plate and -the outer end of the depressed portion C forms shoulders C to abut a ainst the inwardly facing shoulders A. of the tie plate when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawan extension C of the base plate C is pro- 25 posite sides of the rai to the tie plate and the ings, B this construction, the brace plate 'when -bo, ted'and spiked to place as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 forms a strong, rigid brace for the railiand the said brace plate is supported against the inwardly facing shoulder A at its outer end and also against .the inwardly facing shoulders A by the engagement of the shoulders G" therewith as constructions, the depressed portion .of the will be understood from Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawing.

The construction illustrated in' Figs. '6, 7

and 8 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1-

rail brace underlies the rail and means are provided for securin said railbrace on opbrace is shouldered to engage corresponding shoulders on the tie .plate both-at the outer end of thebrace and at a-point adjacent to the intermediate bearing of the rail upon thebrace; i

The'upwardly inclining wings C converging' toward their upper inner ends, may simply abut as shown in Fig. '2or they may .be riveted together if desired, as shown in Fig. 5.

Manifestly it will not be'necessary inordinary cases to use the-improvements on all the ties but they may be -used at such inter vals as is found desirable or necessary in thepractical use of the invention.

The invention is simple, easily applied and the different parts can be formed of steel,

- iron or other suitable metal as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. The combination, substantiall as herein described, of a tie plate provi ed at its outer end with inwardly facing shoulders, a

rail brace having a base plate provided withdownwardly offset or depressed portionadapted to underlie a rail and lying in a plane with the tie plate and also provided with an extension at the inner end of said depressed portion and overlying the tie. platefthe depressed portion forming atits outer end a shoulder abuttin against a corresponding shoulder on the tie plate and the outer end of the brace plate abutting the inwardly facing end shoulder of the tie plate,

the said brace being provided on its-upper.

' side with upwardly projecting brace wings inclining inwardly and converging toward their upper innerends and adapted at their.

and for the purposes ,set forth.

said. inner ends to form a bearing to resist outward movement of 'a rail, substantially as 2. The combination of a he plate and a rail brace thereon and having means adapted to resist outward movement of the rail, the

said rail brace having a depressed portion to underlie a rail, substantially as set forth.

3. A rail brace having upwardly project -ing wings inclining and converging toward their inner edges and adapted at such edges .to resist outward movement of a rail, subs.

st-antially as set-forth.

4. A rail brace having means for resisting outward movement of a rail and provided" "with a depressed POItlOIl to' underlie a rail with a base plate connected with said depressed ortio'n and having oi'tions at the inner andouter ends of sai depressed portion to overlie a tie plate, substantially as set forth.

5. A rail brace having abase plate pro}.

vided' with an intermediate depressed portion to underlie a rail and a tie plate to an derlie said .base plate and adapted to. 00- v operate with the depressed portion of the brace, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a tie plate and rail brae'havinga depressed portion to underlie a rail, one of said parts havin an opening for the as'sa e of the other, w e by the de'presse p0 ion ofthe'brace may lie,'when parts are fitted together, in the same plane with the tie plate, substantially as set forth. v

7. The combination 'of a tie plate and a rail brace having a base late restingupon the tie plate and provided with a depressed portion-in position to underlie a. rail and lying inthe same plane with the tie plate, substantiallyas set forth.

8. The combination of a tie'plate havin an inwardly facing shoulder at its outer on v a rail brace having a depressed portion to underlie a rail and abutting at its outer end the inwardl facing end shoulder of the tie plate, abutting shoulders being provided on the tie plate and brace at the outer edge of the depressed portion of the brace, substantially as set forth.

9. A rail brace comprising a base plate havinga depressed portion to underlie a rail 7 and rail bracing wings on said basev plate I and converging toward'thcir upper innerends, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of a tie plate and a rail brace resting thereon and having a portion depressed into the plane of the tie plate, thesaid tie plate and depressed portion, having, one an opening for the reception of the other whereby the depressed portion may lie izs in the plane of the tie plate, substantially as set forth.

.11. The combination substantially as herebrace being shouldered to engage corre- Witnesses in described, of a tie plate, a rail, a rail brace adjacent to the intermediate bearing of the having a depressed portion underlying the rail upon the brace, substantially as set rail, means for securing said rail brace on forth. oppositesides of the rail to the tie plate, the JOHN B. R. COUNTS. sponding shoulders on the tie plate, both JOHN Swonr,

at the outer end of the brace and at a point 'EDWABD W. CASE. 

